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Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? #971010 04/11/11 12:01 AM 04/11/11 12:01 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 923 Missouri C convertriple OP super gas
convertriple OP super gas C Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 923 Missouri	I haven't started my car in a year, had a heater core leak that turned into an interior restore job. Should I pull the distributor and reprime with a drill or just start it up? Alternatively, I could crank it for a while with the coil wire off, but not sure if that would better or not. Anyone got experience with this?

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: convertriple] #971011 04/11/11 12:08 AM 04/11/11 12:08 AM
Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 293 salem, oregon. usa E elmor enthusiast
elmor enthusiast E Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 293 salem, oregon. usa	You might get by just spinning it over, but why take the chance? Personally I would prime it to be safe.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: convertriple] #971012 04/11/11 02:19 AM 04/11/11 02:19 AM
Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 18,493 Granite Bay CA Kern Dog Striving for excellence
Kern Dog Striving for excellence Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 18,493 Granite Bay CA	I've read in some auto repair manuals to pull the coil wire and spin the motor. I'd like to visit the authors and give them all a swift kick in the ass. What a crappy idea. It isnt too difficult to pull the distributor and oil pump drive so you can prime the motor. After only a few days, the lifters can bleed down, as well as all the oil galleys. Once the pump starts spinning, the crankshaft gets oil first, then the cam bearings. Dry cranking an old motor will accelerate wear everywhere.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: Kern Dog] #971013 04/11/11 02:27 AM 04/11/11 02:27 AM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 21,318 Manitoba, Canada DaytonaTurbo Too Many Posts
DaytonaTurbo Too Many Posts Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 21,318 Manitoba, Canada	Hit the key and start it, it'll be fine. I've left mine sitting that long or more without issue.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: DaytonaTurbo] #971014 04/11/11 05:19 AM 04/11/11 05:19 AM
Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 30,632 Florida STAYcation IcorkSOAK Financed his waterbed
IcorkSOAK Financed his waterbed Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 30,632 Florida STAYcation	AT the least ...I would pull-the-plugs and spin it over with the starter uNtil you get oil-pressure.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: IcorkSOAK] #971015 04/11/11 05:33 AM 04/11/11 05:33 AM
Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 1,074 detroit, mi POS Dakota super stock
POS Dakota super stock Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 1,074 detroit, mi	If it's been sitting a year you NEED to reprime it. There's no way I would start it without repriming it after sitting that long knowing what I know now.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: POS Dakota] #971016 04/11/11 09:39 AM 04/11/11 09:39 AM
Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 13,247 Mt. Vernon, Ohio dartman366 I Live Here
dartman366 I Live Here Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 13,247 Mt. Vernon, Ohio	Quote: If it's been sitting a year you NEED to reprime it. There's no way I would start it without repriming it after sitting that long knowing what I know now. better safe than sorry. Light travels faster than the speed of sound,,,this is why some people seem bright untill you hear them speak.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: DaytonaTurbo] #971017 04/11/11 10:11 AM 04/11/11 10:11 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 25,200 Upper Midwest M MoparforLife Too Many Posts
MoparforLife Too Many Posts M Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 25,200 Upper Midwest	Quote: Hit the key and start it, it'll be fine. I've left mine sitting that long or more without issue. Put the key in, make sure to have a fully charged battery and gas in the carb., spin it over and start it. Not an issue. I do at least 2 of them year. One I fired last had sat 3 years and had instant pressure when fired. If you had good clean oil when parked it will not be an issue at all.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: MoparforLife] #971018 04/12/11 01:15 AM 04/12/11 01:15 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 9,274 Tucson, AZ Ramrod39 My New Title
Ramrod39 My New Title Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 9,274 Tucson, AZ	Quote: Quote: Hit the key and start it, it'll be fine. I've left mine sitting that long or more without issue. Put the key in, make sure to have a fully charged battery and gas in the carb., spin it over and start it. Not an issue. I do at least 2 of them year. One I fired last had sat 3 years and had instant pressure when fired. If you had good clean oil when parked it will not be an issue at all. The only thing I might prime is the carb....

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: Ramrod39] #971019 04/12/11 05:32 AM 04/12/11 05:32 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 8,951 Holly/MI D Dean_Kuzluzski master
Dean_Kuzluzski master D Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 8,951 Holly/MI	My biggest concern would be the rings/bores, I pull the plugs, spray WD-40 in each cylinder, and crank away. Since the fuel has evaporated out of the carb it's going to crank a long time until the fuel system is primed and working. Been doing this for many years on an old hobby car and it still runs hard. R.I.P.- Gary "Coop" Davis 02/09/68-05/13/04

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: Dean_Kuzluzski] #971020 04/12/11 12:51 PM 04/12/11 12:51 PM
Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 1,074 detroit, mi POS Dakota super stock
POS Dakota super stock Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 1,074 detroit, mi	Quote: My biggest concern would be the rings/bores, I pull the plugs, spray WD-40 in each cylinder, and crank away. Since the fuel has evaporated out of the carb it's going to crank a long time until the fuel system is primed and working. Been doing this for many years on an old hobby car and it still runs hard. None of the bearings are a concern after a year? Just asking...

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: Dean_Kuzluzski] #971021 04/12/11 02:29 PM 04/12/11 02:29 PM
Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 159 Woodward, PA 7 75DART440 member
75DART440 member 7 Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 159 Woodward, PA	Quote: My biggest concern would be the rings/bores, I pull the plugs, spray WD-40 in each cylinder, and crank away. Since the fuel has evaporated out of the carb it's going to crank a long time until the fuel system is primed and working. Been doing this for many years on an old hobby car and it still runs hard. Started a 318 that had been sitting 20+ years. Pulled the plugs, gave each hole several squirts of motor oil from a pump-oiler type oil can, and cranked it several revoloutions. Put plugs back in, primed carb, and fired it right up. Had one lifter that ticked for 10 to 20 seconds, then it sounded fine. This was in an A100 van that had not been licensed or inspected for 23 years!!! Of course, I was using a jug with the fuel hose running into it, not the tar that was in the tank. And I did swap distributors rather than mess with the corroded old points. Buy a Hybrid!! I need your gas!!! Currently spending $1,000 a month to feed the Hemis!! Looking for that elusive CHEAP 71-72 Plymouth B-body 2 door OR 71-72 Coronet 4 door!!!

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: POS Dakota] #971022 04/12/11 03:13 PM 04/12/11 03:13 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 8,951 Holly/MI D Dean_Kuzluzski master
Dean_Kuzluzski master D Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 8,951 Holly/MI	Quote: None of the bearings are a concern after a year? Just asking... Common sense prevailing.......it wouild seem that the oil galley's would not drain down upstream of the oil pump and there would remain a film of oil in the rod & main journals (at least on the horizontal surfaces) for as long as it sits undisturbed from when it was shut off. Every running motor I've torn down had evidence of this. Soooooo, the primary concern of the "loss of prime" to the oiling system would be if the sump tube and drained down or not and the duration of time it would take to prime it and pressurize the oiling system. Since I've never had a problem with an oil system losing prime..............hence, the rings being a bigger concern. And I've stored a fair weather muscle for winters here in MI every year for 24 years. One car didn't get fired up for eight years. Ran great, better than ever, last summer. Wish I could say the core/freeze plugs were up holding up so well. R.I.P.- Gary "Coop" Davis 02/09/68-05/13/04

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: Dean_Kuzluzski] #971023 04/12/11 03:22 PM 04/12/11 03:22 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 1,066 California 7 70SportSatellite super street
70SportSatellite super street 7 Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 1,066 California	just started a 318 that has been sitting for over 3 years. spun it for a while to pick up some oil and fuel. primed the carb and fired right up, no issues. i've done this more than once and NEVER had a problem. but as said, in your case better to be safe if you are uncomfortable doing it.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: 70SportSatellite] #971024 04/12/11 11:09 PM 04/12/11 11:09 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 923 Missouri C convertriple OP super gas
convertriple OP super gas C Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 923 Missouri	Thanks for the answers. Anyone know if there is a place on a Holley vac secondary where you can fill the bowls so that the car doesn't have to crank forever with the mechanical fuel pump?

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: convertriple] #971025 04/12/11 11:59 PM 04/12/11 11:59 PM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 21,318 Manitoba, Canada DaytonaTurbo Too Many Posts
DaytonaTurbo Too Many Posts Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 21,318 Manitoba, Canada	Pour a little gas down each of the bowl vent tubes. On my last build I just filled the carb bowls with an electric fuel pump, then hooked the mechanical pump feed back up once the carb was full. That way when I hit the key it was full of fresh gas and ready to go.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: convertriple] #971026 04/13/11 12:59 AM 04/13/11 12:59 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 9,274 Tucson, AZ Ramrod39 My New Title
Ramrod39 My New Title Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 9,274 Tucson, AZ	Quote: Thanks for the answers. Anyone know if there is a place on a Holley vac secondary where you can fill the bowls so that the car doesn't have to crank forever with the mechanical fuel pump? Actually, in retrospect, I agree with Dean K. Just crank it to get fuel to the carb. Oil will circulate before the engine lights. I've got a brand X hot rod with a mechanical fuel pump that sits for months at a time. It gets oil pressure showing on the gauge before it fires when I crank it. I never crank the starter for more that about 10 - 15 seconds at a time so I don't overheat it.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: Ramrod39] #971027 04/13/11 01:26 AM 04/13/11 01:26 AM
Joined: Oct 2010 Posts: 576 Hr up from KCK 4 451 DODGE mopar
451 DODGE mopar 4 Joined: Oct 2010 Posts: 576 Hr up from KCK	One year isnt nothing for crank and pistons long as it was good dry storage.Had a engine wipe a lifter after sitting for three though but that was a chevy derby engine who cares If you're really concerned pull dist,prime,rotate 90 degress 4 times and pull a tappet cover to look for blood 1970 Challenger R/T clone 2010 Dodge Journey R/T black,awd,

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: Ramrod39] #971028 04/13/11 01:17 PM 04/13/11 01:17 PM
Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 370 NASHVILLE MAVERICKSHEMI enthusiast
MAVERICKSHEMI enthusiast Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 370 NASHVILLE	Quote: Quote: Quote: Hit the key and start it, it'll be fine. I've left mine sitting that long or more without issue. Put the key in, make sure to have a fully charged battery and gas in the carb., spin it over and start it. Not an issue. I do at least 2 of them year. One I fired last had sat 3 years and had instant pressure when fired. If you had good clean oil when parked it will not be an issue at all. The only thing I might prime is the carb....

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